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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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Rochester has an estimated 3,691 residents, down from 4,016 at the 2021 Census — a change of 325 people, or 8.1%. The population has thinned by an average 1.5% a year over five years, slower than 99% of areas nationally. Density is about 11 people per square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to findings by AreaSearch, the resident count in Rochester stands at approximately 3,691 as of Aug 2026. This represents a contraction of 325 people (8.1%) relative to the 2021 Census tally of 4,016 people. Such demographic movement is derived from the ABS estimated resident population figure of 3,691 recorded as of June 2025 alongside 17 validated new addresses identified following the Census date. With 10.5 persons per square kilometer, the locality exhibits a relatively spacious settlement density. Recent demographic gains were overwhelmingly underpinned by overseas migration, which served as virtually the exclusive source of inbound growth over recent periods.
For regional assessments, AreaSearch applies 2024 ABS/Geoscience Australia SA2 projections calibrated to a 2022 baseline year. Where SA2 coverage is unavailable, VIC State Government Regional/LGA projections published in 2023 are integrated via weighted aggregation from local government to SA2 geographic units. Age-specific growth metrics derived from this modeling are subsequently extended across all locations for the 2032 to 2041 timeframe. Anticipated demographic trends indicate an expansion pace exceeding the regional national median, with local numbers projected to rise by 396 persons to 2041 under latest annual ERP data, translating to an overall growth rate of 10.7% throughout the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
44 new dwellings have been approved in Rochester over the past five years, an average of 8 a year. That is 2.3 approvals per 1,000 residents. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential building authorisations in Rochester have averaged approximately 8 properties annually, accumulating to 44 homes across the preceding 5 financial years. In the context of recent demographic contraction, this level of building activity has proven comparatively sufficient for property purchasers, with newly approved homes reflecting an average anticipated building cost of $430,000. Furthermore, $4.0 million in commercial construction approvals has been logged during the current financial year, highlighting a subdued level of commercial building activity. In comparison to Rest of Vic., local dwelling approvals per capita in Rochester run at roughly two-thirds the wider pace, positioning the community in the 32nd percentile nationally and suggesting tighter purchasing choice alongside heightened demand for existing residential properties.
This below-average national standing points to an established urban footprint and prospective planning limitations. Additionally, recent residential construction has consisted exclusively of separate houses, preserving the locality's low-density neighborhood fabric and catering to family households seeking larger properties. The ratio of 470 people per approved dwelling underscores a tranquil, low-intensity property development backdrop. Over the period leading to 2041, the population of Rochester is forecast to expand by 396 residents according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Should building activity persist at prevailing rates, residential additions could fall short of demographic expansion, potentially intensifying buyer competition and reinforcing upward price momentum.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Rochester
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 75 current infrastructure and development projects close to Rochester, worth an estimated $3.44 billion. 29 are already under construction and 23 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics and communities. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local economic momentum and community outcomes are heavily guided by strategic planning, public works, and capital investment. In total, no projects have been identified by AreaSearch as likely to directly impact the immediate district. Key regional programs include the Bendigo and Echuca Line Upgrade, Shepparton Line Upgrade, Water and Sewer Network Program, and Regional Housing Fund, with the primary initiatives outlined below.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
McMahon's Place Estate
Master-planned residential community delivering over 1,000 homes across more than 100 hectares of former farmland in Echuca West. Lots range from 480 to 800 sqm. The estate features 6.9 hectares of open space including parks, wetlands, walking tracks, playgrounds, and a full-sized sports oval. Smart home features include fibre optic NBN. Civil works on Stages 1 and 2 commenced August 2025 with land titles expected late 2026. The project is expected to increase Echuca's housing stock by over 10% and inject $1.6 billion into the regional economy.
Bendigo and Echuca Line Upgrade
Completed $176 million rail upgrade (part of the $4 billion Regional Rail Revival program) delivering three new stations at Goornong, Huntly and Raywood, track and signalling upgrades enabling speeds up to 130 km/h (Epsom-Goornong) and 100 km/h (Goornong-Echuca), a new Electronic Train Order system, 10 upgraded level crossings with improved detection, and tripled weekday services to Echuca. Passengers save up to 12 minutes on journeys, with additional savings from timetable changes in late 2023.
Yallarah Estate
Yallarah is a landmark 142-hectare masterplanned community in Echuca West by Wel.Co, designed to deliver over 2,000 homesites. Civil construction has officially commenced. It features lot sizes from 420sqm to 2,000sqm, a future early learning centre, a large display village, and extensive outdoor lifestyle amenities including walking and cycling paths near the Murray River.
Echuca-Moama Bridge Project
The largest transport infrastructure project in northern Victoria completed in 2022. A second bridge crossing connecting Echuca and Moama via the Campaspe and Murray rivers with new 4.5km walking and cycling pathway.
Echuca Regional Health Infrastructure Upgrade
Funded via the Victorian Government's Regional Health Infrastructure Fund and managed by the Victorian Health Building Authority, this $10.2 million project delivers major upgrades at Echuca Regional Health. The scope includes relocating and expanding the Central Sterile Services Department and the Oral Health Unit within the refurbished Lumeah building on Francis Street. Works are actively progressing to enhance surgical processing standards and dental clinical capacity.
AFL Breaking New Ground - St Joseph's College Echuca
MCG-sized oval facility at St Joseph's College Kildare Campus with 100 lux lighting, primarily for Australian rules football. Partnership between AFL Victoria and Echuca Junior Football Club.
Kilkerrin Lakes Estate
Completed residential estate featuring established homes around constructed lakes with recreational facilities and landscaped parklands.
Victoria Park Multipurpose Community and Emergency Relief Centre
Redevelopment of Victoria Park in Echuca into a multipurpose community and emergency relief centre. Features a 400-seat accessible grandstand, community facility with change rooms, function space (250 seated/400 standing), emergency relief centre with companion animal shelter, 99kW solar system, upgraded playground and sealed car parking. The entire facility, including the new community building and emergency relief centre, was officially opened on 29 November 2025.
1,710 residents of Rochester are employed, from a labour force of 1,754. Unemployment sits at 2.5%, with participation at 55.8%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 5.5% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Rochester boasts a diversified labor pool that includes both white and blue collar positions, with manufacturing and industrial industries playing a major role. The unemployment rate stands at only 2.5%, and estimated job growth reached 2.2% during the previous twelve-month period. By March 2026, 1,710 individuals were actively employed, and the local unemployment rate was 1.2% lower than the 3.7% recorded in Regional Vic. However, workforce participation rates fall considerably behind the regional average, sitting at 55.8% instead of 61.1%. Census data indicates that just 12.2% of residents worked from home, although the lingering effects of Covid-19 lockdown measures should be taken into account when interpreting these figures.
Locally resident workers are primarily engaged across agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, alongside manufacturing. The agricultural sector is particularly pronounced, registering an employment share 2.3 times the Regional Vic. baseline. Conversely, public administration & safety exhibits reduced representation, engaging just 2.7% of local personnel relative to 6.5% throughout Regional Vic.. A comparison between Census working figures and the resident population points to a relatively contained local job market. Analysis by AreaSearch, drawing on SALM and ABS figures, indicates that employment rose by 2.2% and the labour force grew by 3.2% during the year to March 2026, which led to an increase in unemployment of 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Vic. experienced a 0.1% drop in employment and a 0.3% decline in the labour force, corresponding to a 0.2 percentage point reduction in unemployment. Job and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts, dated Mar-26, provide additional context for anticipated future demand in Rochester. These forecasts span five and ten year horizons and have been overlaid with the local employment structure to project growth trends. Although national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, sectoral growth rates vary considerably. When these industry-specific forecasts are applied to Rochester's employment composition, the anticipated local employment growth is 5.5% over five years and 12.2% over ten years (this represents a basic weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not incorporate localized population projections).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Rochester is $1,166 a week (about $61,000 a year), with median personal income at $606 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $45,664 a year against an average of $53,008. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO taxation data compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023 indicates that personal earnings within the Rochester SA2 sit below nationwide norms, recording a median of $45,664 and an average of $53,008. These metrics trail Regional Vic., which registered a median income of $50,954 and an average of $62,728. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% from financial year 2023 forward yields updated March 2026 estimates of roughly $50,057 for median earnings and $58,107 on average. In the 2021 Census, personal, family, and household earnings all tracked between the 11th and 12th percentiles nationally.
The largest income cohort is the $400 - 799 weekly band, covering 27.7% of residents (1,022 people), differing from broader regional benchmarks where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket is most prevalent at 30.3%. Despite manageable housing outlays allowing 89.8% of income to be retained, overall disposable income places in the 17th percentile across Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Rochester had 1,570 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 94% detached houses and 0% apartments. 30% are owned with a mortgage, 19% rented and 51% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $213 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,122 a month. Rent absorbs 18.3% of household income here and mortgage repayments 22.2%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
The local housing stock at the most recent Census was composed of 94.2% separate houses and 5.8% alternative dwelling formats including apartments and semi-detached properties, whereas Regional Vic. recorded 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Outright home ownership stood well above the broader regional level at 50.6%, while 30.3% of homes carried a mortgage and 19.1% were tenanted. Monthly median mortgage repayments settled at $1,122 and median weekly rent stood at $213, both well underneath the Regional Vic. comparisons of $1,430 and $285. In a national context, Rochester mortgage costs remain substantially lower than the Australian average of $1,863, with rental costs trailing significantly behind the national benchmark of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Rochester counted 1,570 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.3 people each. 23% are couples with children, fewer than in 78% of areas nationally, against 33% couples without children. 30% of households are people living alone, and families average 2.2 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family households constitute the majority of living arrangements at 67.2%, including 33.3% couples without children, 22.8% couples with children, and 9.7% single parent arrangements. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.8%, comprising 30.0% single-person dwellings and 2.8% shared group residences. The community's median household size of 2.3 people sits marginally under the Regional Vic. benchmark of 2.4.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
12.7% of adults in Rochester hold a university qualification, including 9.2% with a bachelor degree and 1.4% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 83% of areas nationally. A further 29.5% hold a vocational qualification. 4 schools serve the area, with 583 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 964 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Attainment figures show that 12.7% of local residents possess university qualifications, trailing the statewide VIC benchmark of 33.4%. Among tertiary credentials, bachelor degrees account for 9.2%, graduate diplomas represent 2.1%, and postgraduate awards comprise 1.4%. Vocational and trade training is widespread, with 38.3% of individuals aged 15+ holding technical qualifications, divided between certificates at 29.5% and advanced diplomas at 8.8%. Formal study engagement is substantial across the community, with 26.2% of the population actively enrolled in education. This proportion includes 10.8% attending primary school, 8.2% in secondary education, and 1.8% undertaking tertiary studies.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Rochester reaches 23 stops on 5 routes, timetabled for about 110 services a week. The typical home sits about 450 m from its nearest stop. Households keep an average of 1.7 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local transit framework includes 23 active public transport stops in Rochester providing train connectivity. These locations are served across 5 distinct routes that generate a collective 108 weekly passenger trips. Overall public transit accessibility is moderate, with residents located an average of 451 meters from their closest boarding point. Commuters predominantly travel out of the area by private vehicle, which accounts for 92% of journeys, while 6% commute on foot. Household vehicle access stands at 1.7 per dwelling, exceeding regional levels. A modest 12.2% of workers reported working from home in the 2021 Census, subject to pandemic conditions.
Public transport services provide an average frequency of 15 trips per day throughout the network, translating to roughly 4 weekly trips for each designated boarding stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
59.2% of residents in Rochester report no long-term health condition. 8.8% need daily assistance with core activities, and 46.3% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 4.5 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
General health conditions in Rochester track close to national figures based on mortality and chronic illness measures evaluated by AreaSearch, with typical ailment rates across the general public but higher frequency among older residents. Private health insurance participation is low, encompassing roughly 46% of the population (~1,708 people), trailing both the Regional Vic. figure of 50.5% and the national average of 55.7%. Arthritis and mental health conditions represent the most prevalent diagnoses locally, reported by 12.1 and 9.5% of the population, respectively, while 59.2% of residents stated no chronic health conditions compared to 63.4% in Regional Vic..
Chronic ailments are elevated among the working-age population. Residents aged 65 and over make up 31.7% of the community (1,169 people), exceeding the 24.0% regional proportion, with older age groups experiencing notable health challenges that nevertheless rate lower nationally than broader population figures.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Rochester is largely Australian-born, at 94.0% of residents, with 2.0% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (35.4%) and English (34.7%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Measures of cultural diversity indicate an above-average domestic orientation in Rochester, where 91.1% of residents hold Australian citizenship, 94.0% were born in Australia, and 98.0% speak exclusively English at home. Christianity is the primary declared faith, encompassing 54.7% of residents compared to 47.3% across Regional Vic.. Examining parental country of birth, the leading ancestral backgrounds in Rochester comprise Australian at 35.4% (well over the regional proportion of 29.6%), English at 34.7%, and Irish at 10.2%. Other distinct community ancestries include Scottish at 8.0% (relative to 8.8% regionally), Dutch at 1.2% (vs 1.7%), and Macedonian at 0.1% (vs 0.2%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Rochester is 50, older than 91% of areas nationally. 17.5% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The demographic profile of Rochester leans heavily toward older age brackets, with individuals aged 65+ making up 31.7% of the population as at August 2026 compared to 24.0% across Regional Vic., while adults aged 25 - 44 account for 15.9% compared to 23.1% regionally. The estimated median age reached 50 as at August 2026, holding steady from the 2021 Census and exceeding the Regional Vic. median of 43 and the Australian median of 38 recorded at that time. The share of seniors and retirees has expanded from 28.7% at the Census to an estimated 31.7%.
Projections to 2041 anticipate the greatest numeric increase among the 25 - 44 cohort, expanding by 166 residents (28%) to reach 752.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Rochester
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Sep 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Sep 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Sep 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 4 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 6 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 2 months ago all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 17 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (4,016 at the 2021 Census → 3,691 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (216011409). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.